New Delhi, May 3 (Indian Express): A day after former disinvestment minister Arun Shourie took a swipe at the Central government and the BJP on a variety of issues, the BJP came out in defence of the Prime Minister saying Shourie’s comments were probably the result of a grouse over not getting a position in the government.
“If some individuals probably have some grouse, they don’t get some positions, and want to make issues out of non issues, I think they are best left to judge whether they are saying the right thing. This government has shown that with sincerity of purpose and visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, India is on the right path to growth,” Power Minister Piyush Goyal said.
Reacting to Shourie’s remarks, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: “Shourie as a scholar, a veteran journalist and as a political observer, has always had his views on matters. But I think this time he has been a bit unkind to Mr Modi… To talk that the government, particularly on the economic matters, is directionless, is well off the mark and it is highly disappointing.”
Calling Shourie a “fair-weather friend”, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said this was not the first time Shourie had criticised the BJP. “There are many fair-weather friends. Friends who try to gatecrash into the party when the going is good and they turn hostile when this attempt to gatecrash fails,” Patra said.